The carnal man

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 3:1, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ,” NKJV.

The word ‘carnal’ means ‘fleshly.’ To be carnal means to be ruled and controlled by the flesh. Apostle Paul while he was talking to the Corinthian brethren, said, he could not speak to them as spiritual people, but as carnal people and babes in Christ who are not able to receive the solid food of the word of God because they are still being fed with junk food (milk). There are some believers in Christ across denominations, today, who are not able to receive solid food because they are still sucking their mother’s breast milk. They were addressed as babes in Christ because they allowed their thinking to be governed by human wisdom rather than by the inerrant Word of God.

In our Christian life and in our presentation of the word of God, we have milk for those just coming to the Lord. They are sucking milk like newborn babes, which was why Apostle Paul said that he could not give them solid food because solid food is for spiritually matured people, while milk is for children. He noted that beyond that, there are people you feed with the bones of the word of God. Paul said to them, you people cannot take solid food lest bones because they were still carnal. There was evidence of carnality among them, which include envy, strife, and divisions (1 Corinthians 3:3). A songwriter said: “O to be like Thee! Lowly in spirit, Holy and harmless, patient and brave; meekly enduring cruel reproaches, willing to suffer, others to save.” Carnal people are not interested in all evil mentioned by the songwriter because they are still walking in the flesh. When you walk according to the flesh, there is condemnation because you are going to walk all the works of the flesh, but when you walk according to the spirit, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1-3- 4).

The law could not save anybody because it was weak and came through the flesh. It is for this reason that God sent Jesus to die, so that, man can be set free from the law of sin (Romans 3:2). The law will roll out laws like do not commit sin, and do not commit adultery, among others. The law could not give people the power to live above sin. The law could not help anybody to keep the law. Christ came so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:4). Who are we? We are people that do not walk according to the flesh but by the spirit. We are people that have submitted themselves to the spirit.

And by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is imputed on every believer, we can now do what is utterly impossible under the flesh.

The carnal man, the original man and the failed Adam hate God. If God says love, he will hate; if God says peace, he will look for war and whatever God says, he will do the opposite because he hates God. The carnal man whether he is a pastor or a deacon can never be subjected to the law of God and will never please God (Romans 8:8). So, when you are talking to someone who is a carnal, you are just pouring water on the rock and waiting for a change that will never come (Romans 8:8).

• Today’s Nugget: The carnal man can never please God. Prayer: Lord saves me from every work of the flesh. Prayer lines: 08054477940. E-mail: servantofgod111@yahoo.com. Rev. Pastor Ejikeme Ejim, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria